For me it would have to be the part where he meets the actress and they are reciting an excerpt from Romeo and Juliet- when she says, "Oh, you're not an Elephant Man at all, Mr. Merrick... you're a Romeo." And then John Merrick shed a tear. At this part I bawled.
Any one who got through watching the elephant man without being moved, is not someone I'd want to know!
What about you?
Well, there are way too many to count, but here are two: When the other circus freaks help him escape, and the dwarf calls to him: "Luck, my friend! And who needs it more than we?" And the other is when Dr. Treves is fighting with the evil hospital workman and he says "Only Mrs. Motherhead can sack me!" and she comes in and brains him with whatever she is carrrying and says "Done!"
shareToo many moments to mention (it's a hard heart that doesn't shed a tear, when watching this movie) But to me, I always get choked when the Dwarf remarks "Luck, my friend, luck. Who needs it more than we?"
"If you're lying...I'll be back!"
The part where "John" says something to the effect that he's never been treated so nicely by a beautiful woman, before…
"Your mother puts license plates in your underwear? How do you sit?!"
Man, there is way too many to count.
I do know this. Both John Hurt and Sir Anthony Hopkins should have won Oscars for their respective roles in this 1980 masterpiece.
One of the most moving films ever made. Some films have made me a little misty eyed, but this is the only film ever to make me cry. When John says "I've tried hard to be good" and Treve's wife breaks down, I lost it and cried my eyes out for ages. Fortunately I was watching at home alone.
shareThumbs up to every posters' contribution to this thread. All of the aforementioned reasons for crying along with your beautiful remarks of all the priceless scenes of this powerful movie leave me limp, speechless and, of course, in tears. I'm getting watery eyes just reading them. This movie is a true gift to all who have watched it.
shareI start crying pretty much within the first 10 minutes. Every scene that features Joseph, whether its happy or sad, is just heart rendering. I remember the scene where Treves brings Car Gomm to meet him, and he asks Joseph a question he hasn't prepared an answer for. He doesn't know how to respond because he doesn't want to see his friend in trouble. Its not a sad scene per se, but its still so emotional because you sense the guilt over not wanting to ruin it for Treves. He's too good. For the first half of the film where the nurses don't know how to act around him, his shyness and embarrassment around them, is heartbreaking to watch as well.
Any scene that features him getting abused or tormented sees me in buckets every time. And of course, the 'tea party' scene with Treves and his wife: 'If only I could find her, so she could see me with such lovely friends here now; perhaps she could love me as I am. I've tried so hard to be good.' Good God. And the attaché case scene: 'Oh my friends, my friends'.
When he's returned to the hospital after the train station scene and collapses into Treves' arms and cries. There's something so childlike about it. You just want to protect and shelter him with everything you have.
Essentially, I could pick every single scene. You only have to see this movie once for it to leave its mark. Its truly perfect.
When Merrick shows the Treves the picture of his mother.
shareWhen Merrick tells Treves's wife, that he's never been treated good by a beautiful woman before and he starts crying.
Part where Merrick and Bancroft exchange Romeo and she tells him, he's Romeo.
When Merrick yells' I am not an animal! I'm not an animal! I am a man!" when that mob surrounds him in the train station.
When he says he wish his mother would be around to see to his lovely friends.
The parts where he gets mistreated by those who just want to scorn and ridicule him and hurt him, parts where Bytes hits him with cane, really made me feel sad for Merrick, that so many were wanting to hurt somebody who was so polite, kind, considerate inside, if you just looked deep.
I thought it was kinda funny , when that one guy said only Miss Motherheads could sack him from his job. And she walks behind him and clobbers him over the head, and just says 'Done'. I was like yes, he got what was coming to him.
Mrs Treaves lack of control as Merrick's description of his mother and his trying to be good for her breaks her into tears of pity.
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